Car-loader.



PATENTBD Aim. 4, 1908.

W. E. HUNT.

CAR LOADER. unwumx mun oo:.14,1ao1.

4 SHEETS-SHEET L 3am "to:

No. 895,089. PATENTBD AUG. 4, 1908.

W. B. HUNT. 1

CAR LOADER.

APPLIOATIO! rmm 001214, 1901;

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

IIIIIII-Illllllu-J M woman .1

wil'neaw fiamarina lmlmmnwum u &

PATBNTED AUG. 4, 1908.

W. E. HUNT.

CAR LOADER.

APPLIOATION nun 001214, 1901.

4 sazsri-sanm 4.

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- after which it is brought into a horizontal UNITED sTAtrEs 'rATEnT-oFFroE.

WILLIAM E. HUNT, OF OTTUM \YA, IOWA, ASSIGXDR TO OITUMWA BUX CAR LOADER COHPANY,

or OTTUMWA, IOWA, A

conronarrox or IowT- p CAB-LOgQDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 4, 1908.

Application filed mm 14, 1907. Serial no. 397,360.

citizen of the United States, residing at Ottumwa, in the county of \Vapcllo and State r of Iowa, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Car-Loaders; and I do 1 hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, j such as will enable others skilled in the artto which it appertains to make and use the;

same.

This invention relates to improvements in an ap aratus for loading cars, and more pecial y to the means employed for centering and holding the ear in position wlnle receiving its cargo.

The prime ob ect of the invention is to provide a tilting platform, with bumpers me chanically, and simultaneously operated to center the car, and means for automatically locking said bumpers in position.

The invention also relates to the automatic means employed for releasing the bumpers, and returning their carriages to normal position out of the way of the car, to permit the latter to be moved away from the apparatus.

In this class of car loaders it usual to move a car on a tilted platform, under a lchute approximatelycentrally disposed to;

the car, and the latter is tilted to cause the cargo as it is delivered to fall by gravity'toward one end. *After approximately half the load is delivered, the car is raised to normal position and then tilted in the opposite direction to receive the remainder of the load,

plane to be removed. The purpose of this operation is well known in this art, and is to do away with the necessity of shifting the chute from one place to another in dis tribut- F ing thecargo. I do not claim broadly in this application means for accomplishing this re sult, but the means employed to make it more economical and convenient in handling the apparatus.

i The invention contemplates improvements ,1 in the details of construction and arrange ment of parts, all of which will be. hereinafter 1 referred to and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings forming a part of thISg specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved apparatus, showing a car eentrally disposed in full lines, and the bumpers in dotted lines, holding said car in position;

t also showing in dotted lines the car and its.

1 platform tilted to receive the cargo. Fig. '2 is a top plan view of the apparatus. Fig. 3

is a transverse section of the apparatus. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of one of the bumpers and its carriage. Fig. 5 is a detail top plan view of the same.

porting idle rollers 3, supporting a tilting platform 4. The platform preferably consists of a pair of beams 5, carrying tracks 6, and a pair of segments 7, the latter traveling directly on the rollers 3, and thereby support; ing the platform. Between the beams 5, are two I-beams 8, which form ways for a pair of traveling bumper carriages, to be herein-' after described. 1 Supported in bearing mounted on the base t is a transverse shaft 9, carrying sprocket wheels 10, around which and Idlers 12, pass chains 11, secured to the peripheries of the segments 7. On the outer end of shaft 9, is a sprocket wheel 13, around which passes a sprocketchain 14, also passing over a sprocket wheel 15, on the end of a shaft 16, operated by a suitable engine located to one side of the apparatus."

On the shaft 9 is a brake-wheel 17 surrounded by. a brake-band 18, connected to a. lever 19, pivoted at its ends to a piston rod 20, operating in a cylinder 21. Steam, air or other means may be employed to operate the iston rod in the cylinder to control the rake. Mounted in bearings at the ends of the well 1, directly under the ends of the beams 5, are upright levers 20*, connected at, their upper ends by links 21, with cranks 22,,secured to shafts 23. At the outer ends of the'shafts .23, are cranks 24, connected by a rod 25, pivoted to a hand lever withinconvenient reach of the operator. is to provide a suitable support for the ends of the platform when it is In 'anormal position, as clearly shown in Fig; 1.

supporting rods 20, outwardly from under the ends of the beams 5, to allow the latter to be tilted in the wells 4 The operation of the mechanism thus far described is substantially as follows: The 0 erator starts the engine which revolves te shaft 16, and through the connections, the segments are caused to turn on the idle rollers 33, which in turn correspondingly tilts the 1, indicates a well in which is a base 2, sup- 7 When the hand lever is operated the cranks 22, tilt the n The object of this connection standard 32, having at its upper end a beams 5, the brake being at all times under the control of the 0 aerator, hence the'tilting of the platform is li 'ewise under perfect control. Of course it will be understood upon the reversing of the engine and releasing of the brake the platform can be returned to normal position; i

In alinement with the tracks 6, are tracksections 26, between which is formed an opening 27, to receive the bumper carriages 28, when lowered upon the tracks 29. On each side of the openings 27, are lixcdinclined tracks 29, terminating at their upper ends approximately in alinement with the I- beam 8, of the platform. Traveling on'the tracks 29, are carriages 28. Each carriage consists of a beam 30, provided with rollers 31, and 31*, and supported by the beam is a bumper 33. Pivotcd to the standard 32, at 34, 1s a bifurcated pawl 35, provided at its lower end with a aging points 36, and an intermediate roller 37.-

Mounted on the segments 7, is a shaft 38, having a sprocket wheel 39, intermediate the I-beams 8. Engaging opposite sides of the sprocket wheel are two rack-bars 40, extending in opposite directions toward the openings 27. To the outer end of each rack bar, is connected an arm or arms 43, slotted at 44, to receive the journal of the roller 31 of the carriage 28. Pivot-ally connected to the outer end of each arm 43, is a link 45, pivoted at its outer end to a wedge 46, which is grooved in its under side to receive the web of the I-beam 30. The wedge is normally under the roller 37, as. shown in Fig. 4.

On the shaft 38, is mounted a gear-wheel 50, meshing with a pinion 51, on a stub shaft 52, connected by universal joints 53, to a power shaft 54. Cooperating with the power shaft 54, is a clutch 55, by means of which the operator can control the movement of the bumper carriages. Q

After the car is moved on the platform 4,- thee; .arator throws the clutch 55, to communicate power to the shaft 38, which causes the gear wheel 39, to move the rack-bars 40," toward each other. During the first part of the movement of the rack bars, the arms 43, move the distance of the slot 44, without moving the I-beams 30 .which ulls on the links 45, to withdraw the wet ges 46, out of the path of the rollers 37, thereby allowing the points 35, to drop sufficiently to engage the rack teeth 56, mounted on the beamsS. The continued movement of the rack bars 40, after the rear wall 57, of the slots 44, reaches the journals of the rollers 31, will draw the carriages bodily up the inclined tracks 29. As the movement of the carriages advances toward the center of the platform the rollers 31, will be directed in the ways formed between the I-beams 8,

and the rollers 31, alsotraveling on the track 29, will when reaching the upper end of said track enter the ways between the said I-beams. W'hen the carriages are in the ways the points 36, ride over the rack-bars 56, and catch in the teeth thereof. 'lhe't-wo bumpers are therefore drawn toward each other simultaneously from the time the. movement is started, until they. bump a ainst each end of the car and center it.

O viously should the car not be exactly in the center of the platform, and it is desirable,

in fact necessary that it should be, the.

movement of the two bumpers will pro crly osition it, and the pawls will automatically 00k, and thereby hold the car, in position. The car having now been properly positioned and locked on the platform, it is tilted to load a it as previously escribed. To automatically r ease the car and to return the bump ers to their normal position, the operator, through the medium of the clutch 55 reverses the direct-ion of movement of power shaft 54, which through the gear connection, revolves the sprocket wheel 39, hence moves the rack-bars 40, outwardly. During the first part of this movement the 'arms 43, are moved the distance of the slot 44, which through the links 45, will force the wedges 46, under the rollers 37, and thereby disengage the pawl 35, frpm the rack teeth 56, and immediately the end 60, of the slots 44, reaches the journals of the rollers 31", the

carriages 28, will be moved in the ways to ward the openings 27, and down the inclined track 29, until their normal positio is reached, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1. 1his position having beeri. reached, the operator manually or otherwise operates the standards 20, provided of course the car has received its full 0 ,rgo, and the car can then be pushed from the platform. 5

From the foregoing description it will be observed that the two bum ers are under control of the operator, in tielr movement from normal to abnormal positions, or vice versa. tilting the car is operated by the same engine which operates the bumpers. The lock'ng devices employed for fixing the bumpers, are automatically 0 erated in locking or unlocking the same, wiiich saves considerable time on the'par of the operatorv in loadin cars. Furthermore they are so Furthermore the mechanism for simultaneously operating'the bumpers from their normal position to operative position against a car on the platform.

2. In an a paratus of the class described, the combination of a tilting platform, tracks carried by the platform, an inclined guideway at each end of the platform in alinement with the tracks, carriages carrying bumpers,

and means for simultaneously drawing the two bumpers up the inclined waysand on the tracks of the platform in operative position a ainst a car on the latter.

3. n an apparatus of the classdescribed, the combination with a tilting platform carrying Ways, a pair of bumpers at the ends of t e platform, means for simultaneously operating the bumpers to move them from .normal position to operative position against ating the bumpers to move them'from normal position to operative position against a car on the platform, means for automatically looking the bumpers against the car, and automatically unlocking the bumpers previous to their movement away from the car.

5. In an. apparatus of the class described,

' the combination with a tiltin platform havmg ways, a bumpenlocated adi acent each end of the ways on the platform, a locking device, means for operating the bumpers, includin .means for operatively positioning the 100 mg device previous to movement of the bumpers.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a tiltirn platform having ways, a bumper located adjacent each end of the ways on the platform, a locking device, means for operating the bumpers, includin means for operatively positioning 'the locking device previous to movement of the bumpers, said. means also serving .to'

release the lockin device previous to the movement of the bumpers to their normal position.

7. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a tilting platform, a rack bar 0n the platform, bumpers located adjacent each end of the platform, pa'wls carried by the bumpers to engage the rack bars, means for simultaneously positioning the bumpers adjacent a car on the platform, the pawls engaging the rack bars to lock said bumpers in position.

S. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a tilting platform, a rack bar on the platform, bumpers located adjacent each end of the platform, pawls carried by the bumpers to engage the rack bars, means for simultaneously positioning the ear, and means or automatically releas bumpers adjacent a car on the platform,

the pawls engaging the rack bars to lock said bumpers in position, and automatic means for releasing the p'awls when moving the bumpers away from a car.

9. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a tilting platform, means for tilting the platform, ways on the platform, a wheel havin" teeth mounted in the' of the w eel, a pair of bumpers connected to' ways, a air of rack bars engaging the teeththe rack bars, and means operating the wheel to draw the bumpers in the ways in operative position against a car on the platform.

10. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a tilting platform, means for tilting the platform, ways on the platform,

- a wheel having teeth mounted in the we s, a

pair of rack bars engaging the teeth 0 the wheel, a pair of bumpers connected to the rack bars, means operating the wheel to draw the bumpers in the ways in o erative position against a car on the p atform, means slidably connecting the rack bars and the'bum ers, and means for automatically locking tie bumpers-in operative position against a car.

11. In an apparatus of the class described,

the combination of a tilting platform, means form, a wheel havin teeth mounted in the ways, a air of rack bars engaging the teeth of the wfi the rack bars, means 0 crating the wheel to draw the bumpers in tlie ways in operative position against a car on the platform, means slidably connecting the rack bars and the bumpers, means for automatically locking the bumpers in o erative position against a the locking means revious to movement 0 the bumpers away om a car.

122. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a platform comprising beams carryin -tracks to support a car, segments attached to the beams, chainse a ing the peripheries of the segments, a s a located adjacent the se ments, sprocket wheels mounted on said s aft, and around which the chains pass, means operating the shaft to turn the segments to tilt the latform, a bumper at each end of the plat orni,

.for tilting the platform, ways on the plat eel, a pair of bumpers connected to means for operating the bumpers to positionthe same against acar on the platform, and means for looking the bumpers.

13. In an apparatus of the class described,

the combination with a platform, means for 1- tilting the platform,- means for supportingmeans for positioning t ie bumper against the car includmga device for automatically setl r i i a 3 L stages ting and releasing thelocking means previous to the movement of the bumper in either directlon. p p v p 14. In an apparatus of the class described, 5 the combination of s. tilting platform, means for tilting the platform, a bumper at each end of the platform, seidbumpers bein slidnbly mounted in wells or depressions nd jacent to the'ends of the platform and means includ- 10 ing smembcr carried by the platform and connected with the bumpers for positionin is or against the ends of a car on saic ya: 15; lie-en apparatus of the class described, vi5 thecoanoinetion of}; tilting platform, means fortiltinglthe platform, a bumper at each end jf thejpletiorm; jrneens for operating the era, 23- rnotor the' platform operating mennsend the bum or operating meens be 10' operetedby sei motor. 16 In on eppcretns of the class described, the m'irnbir.scionf0 tiitingpletform, means for'tilting the pin rm, inclnred ways adja- A Eentthe ends of the platform, a carriage P adapted to travel on eec h inclined Wt-j, 8- bumperfnionnted on the carriage which is nomnnliy below the plane of the to of the pletforrn e, pawl carried by each bumper, res" carried by the platform, "a wedge adjacent, each bumper and sliduble thereon, at

lloose connection between the reck bars and the wedge, a locking device on each bumper connected withthewedge] means for operet ingthe reek bars, the loose connectionpex 3 n'nttim withdrawal of the w'vedges to position the loo 3 device previous to movement of said carriages by their operating means 1?; In an apparatus or the class described,

ways, a cairia e a the combination of e tilting platform, means for tilting the platform, inclined ways adjacent the ends of the platform, 'a carnage adapted to travel on each inclined wev, -a'

.loose connection between the rack bars and the wedge, a locking deviceon eacl1,bumper connected with the wedge, means for opcrating the rack bars, the loose connection pernuttnn withdrawal of the wedges to position he loo-dung device previous to movement oi said carria es '15 their 0 era-tin 'meims said O y l) means iermittin of the rorcin of the wed es h I D under the locking devices to release the same previous to moving the carriages away from a car. v 18. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a tilting platform, e-pznr of beams carried log the platform to form jeccnt each end of the platform incluiiim supportin rollers, ways .rtdjacentthe platform on which said. rollers travel revious to engaging the ways between t e besuns of the platform, bumpers carried by said carriages, rack bars, and moths for operating said rack barsto more said bumpers in the ways on thepletform.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specificetion'in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

e WILLIAM E. HUNT.

Witnes es;

\ EDWIN G. Moon,

F. G. ORELUP. 

